Mission Completed - Chapter 1
By: Sakura Katsana
Disclaimer: I'm back for the sequel, yet the disclaimer has the same predictable plot. . .
Sakura's Note: Well, glad to see I'm still alive, regardless of the numerous death threats I received after posting the final chapter of MIM. Well, I guess that just shows how much you care, arigatou!
How was everyone's Spring Break? Good?
Yeah, I went to see Dawn of the Dead- a very good movie, by the way. And rented a few I had missed in theaters, nothing else really happened.
Thanks to: Everyone who reviewed and/or read Most Important Mission, it meant a lot to me. ^_^
Enjoy!
***
Chapter 1: Three Months Later. . .
"No, I love you more. . ." Sango giggled, wrapping the phone cord around her finger, "No, I love *you* more. . ."
"Gag."
Sango waved a passive hand at the hanyou, giving him a stern glance. "No, that was Inuyasha. Miroku says hey Inuyasha."
"Hey," Inuyasha drawled, collapsing back onto his partner's bed.
"No, you hang up first. No, you. No. . . you!"
*
"No, Sango, you hang up first," Miroku smirked, winking playfully at the midnight-eyed girl rolling her eyes in the background.
Kagome feigned gagging, "Tell her I'll talk to her tomorrow, I gotta hurl today."
Her partner just laughed, "Kag says she'll talk to you tomorrow. Ok, well, she's getting annoyed. Oh no, there's no girl I'm more scared of than you."
*
Inuyasha flattened his ears on the top of his head, rolling off the bed. "Sango, how much longer("
"Wait! No, you hang up first."
"I have an idea. . ." Inuyasha drawled, "Why don't I hang up *for* you?" He grabbed the phone and put it back on the receiver. "Now can we please go? I gotta get to the race!"
"I gotta call him back, he'll think I hung up on him!"
Inuyasha sighed, waving his hand, "You're pathetic. I was loud on purpose, he knows I did it."
"We have an hour to get there, calm down." Sango smirked, "So unless you wanna hear a very personal conversation I suggest you leave the room. Get ready."
"You're not my mother," Inuyasha growled, walking to the door. "If you don't want me hear all you had to say was the words personal and Miroku in the same sentence."
The hanyou walked down the hall, slipping into his room before Shiori could spot him from Ayame's office.
He grabbed up his boom box from the corner, adjusting the volume from Sango's setting and popping in 3 Doors Down.
~A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies had made me colder
And I don't think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate~
Why had this song been getting to him so much in the past three months? He shook in disgust, practically ripping the hinges off his closet door. "Where-"
"Looking for this?" A leather jacket landed on the hanyou's hatless head, causing his to jump away from his closet in surprise.
"Who the hell?!" Inuyasha grabbed the jacket off, whirling around to stare at the door.
"Yeah, well, I found Shiori cuddling up with it while being briefed by Ayame." Kouga winked, "You're a lucky guy, having such an obsessive stalker."
"Shut up!" Inuyasha growled, "It's not funny."
"And you saying that doesn't help me stop laughing," Kouga smirked, leaning on the doorframe. "So, what's the occasion? Hot date?"
"More like a race," Inuyasha drawled, pulling on a black muscle shirt. "If Sango would just HURRY UP!"
"Shut UP Inuyasha!" Sango growled, slamming her door back closed.
"Well, it's nice to see best friends bond, ain't it?" Kouga looked down at his claws. "When is it?"
The angered half demon raised an eyebrow, tugging on his leather jacket, a silver streak on the back, "Why?"
"Thought it'd be a nice place to take Ayame tonight. Four month anniversary coming up."
"Oh, that's real romantic, Kouga. Take her to the shady district of New York City to see a race? She'll be putty in your hands."
"My Ayame's not into the candlelight dinner deal."
"Lucky you, less money involved."
"Not really, she'll be asking me for money and she'll be placing bets." Kouga blew the hair out of his face, "Oh Kouga-kun, can I have fifty? Thank you! Fifty on Fang."
"Your impressions of me are striking," Ayame spoke in monotone, walking up behind the wolf demon. "I guess I'll have to work a bit harder on mine."
"Is my room the new hang out? If you stay here much longer Shiori's gon-"
"Inu-kun!" The white-haired hanyou gazed up at the agent, an adoring look on her face. "Are you going racing?"
"Yeah."
"Can I come?"
"No."
"Why not?" she pouted.
"Fine, you can come, hopefully you'll get kidnapped. . ."
"Inuyasha!"
"What? Gods, Ayame, can you two go make out somewhere?"
"Nooooo. . . We'd much rather watch this."
"Wow Inu-kun! You have a lot of silk boxers!"
"What-? GIVE ME THOSE!"
"This is entertaining, want to just watch this?" Kouga put an arm around the oni's waist.
"Ok!"
"Hey! A little help here!" Inuyasha lunged for the girl, tripping on his own Timberlands before managing to grab the article.
"Waaah!" Shiori's eyes filled, "I was only playing Inu-kun!"
"With my *underwear*?!"
"What 's going on in here?" Sango popped her head in.
"Shiori came, Shiori stole his boxers and he caught them. Thus leading us to this." Kouga whispered, beaming.
"Oh."
"Sango!"
His partner sighed, "Alright. . ."
"Don't spoil our fun!" Kouga pleaded, sounding like he was back in the fifth grade.
"Shiori, I think Kouga likes you." Sango winked at her, "You know, woman to woman, he says you're really cute."
The girl's eyes widened, "Really?"
"What the hell-Cut it out Shiori!" Kouga rushed down the hall, the half bat demon keeping up with his pace.
"Good one, Sango."
"Thank you."
"I think I'll go help Kouga-kun," Ayame muttered, running down the hall after her fiancé.
"Ready to go?" Sango played with the bangles now around her arms. "I got a bet to place for Miroku."
"Why're you placing bets for Miroku?" Inuyasha grabbed Fang's keys and his leather gloves.
Sango blushed, "Well, actually it's in the name of love. We're placing it together. So you better win!"
"Have you ever known me to lose a race? Now come on, before I miss it and your love pledge is wasted."
*
"When are you going to talk to him?" Miroku nudged the girl, a serious look on his face. "This has gone on long enough, Kagome."
"Who are you talking about?" Kagome blinked away the tears before her friend could see, turning the page of her magazine.
"Don't act dumb with me."
"I don't want to talk about this. I have to have a clear mind for tonight. . ." Kagome flipped the magazine closed, rolling off the bed and out of the room.
She sighed, walking to her closet and pulling out the small chest, a fingerprint analysis lock added to the top. Taking another deeper breath the stormy-eyed girl pressed her finger down on the gel like substance.
Automatically her hands became pink from the jewel's glow, sending a feeling of warmth throughout her veins.
She'd been purifying it for three months now, hoping to make it fully good again in order to use it to find the newest kingpin out there.
Less than a week later after Naraku's hideout had been combed through and all evidence brought forth the frozen accounts that had once belonged to the linchpin were somehow transferred into another account, going by the name S.J.H.
With the Shikon Jewel she would be able to find out. Using only one of it's infinite wishes*.
Sir had said that she should bring it to his office for a conference. Miroku would be there, he knew she wouldn't want to be stuck in there with him and the other higher branches of the agency.
Gods she was nervous!
Rolling the sphere in her hand memories flashed through her head. The good, the funny, the bad, the painful.
~"Y-you speak Japanese?" Kagome suddenly blurted out.
"Well duh! What idiotic agent comes without knowing the language." Sango winked and turned to the laughing Inuyasha. "P.S., we are both from Tokyo."~
~He inched closer to her and knelt down farther. He reached out and forced her eyelids shut and then reopened them again.~
~"Don't interrupt a pissed off hanyou with a bullet wound," Inuyasha warned. "There's no way to see her in this darkness so we need to try and wake her."~
~"Here," Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand which contained the key and, using his keen eyes, inserted it into the hole with ease. Then repeated this action with the other lock.
. . .
"Oh yeah," Inuyasha hastily let go of Kagome's hand and took his place at helping up newly-released agent.~
~Inuyasha smirked, nodding his head upward so his sunglasses fell back over his eyes.
Kagome glanced at the agent and turned to face the left window, "Take those off."
"What?"
"Take those off," Kagome spoke a little softer, refusing to look at him. "They hide your eyes."
"No one will miss them," Inuyasha stated, somewhat disappointed.
"So I'm no one?" Kagome whispered, soft enough she was surprised when she looked over at him from the corner of her eye -
That he was staring at her. "No, you're not."~
~"What lies are you spouting now, Kikyo?" Her older sister smirked, closing the distance between her and Inuyasha in a passionate kiss.
Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock but he didn't pull away.~
~"I'm sorry, Kagome. You know I am. We need to talk about this."
"You have a plane to catch."
"Look, I'll call you. I'd stay if it was just me, but the others have to go too . . ." he sighed, "I don't want to leave it like this."
"Just go."~
~"How are you holding up, Kagome?" Sango's voice was nice to hear, seeing how Miroku had taken up the line for two hours.
"Fine. Why shouldn't I be?"
There was a sigh, followed by a long pause on the other line. "How are you holding up, Kag-chan?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the fact that you seem fine about this and Inuyasha seems to be killing himself over it. That's what I mean, I know what happened and it just doesn't seem like you'd forget-"
"I'm fine, Sango-chan. Don't worry about me. Really."~
Kagome lowered her head in silent shame.
He'd forgotten something when he left, the hoodie she'd found herself sleeping on when she woke up in Fang. No one knew, probably not even he noticed that it had gone missing. She'd found it under the spare bed in Miroku's room while returning a CD.
It smelled like something wild, pine trees and musk. She mis- what was she saying?!
*
"150 on Fang, Duke," Sango handed the man the cash, watching as he recorded it and winked at her. "You sure you want to do that? There's a new racer here tonight, hasn't lost a race."
Her magenta eyes widened, "Who is this racer?"
"No one knows, as soon as the race is over she collects her cash and leaves."
"She?"
"Yeah, goes by Wind Witch, which for her is true." Duke accepted another bet. "So, still betting on your brother?"
The agent stiffened, 'Kohaku. . .' "What d'you mean?"
"Your brother, Inuyasha. You always said when you were little he protected you like one."
"Oh! Yeah, still on him."
Duke looked down at her, eyeing her with concern, "You alright Sango?"
"Yeah, just jogged memories. That's all."
*
"Alright! Start your engines!" A girl by the name of Abi walked up to the middle of the track, Duke right behind her.
"Ok, when my girlfriend flashes you, it's time to start the race!" he was automatically slapped, the audience laughing in unison at the pervert. "Never mind, when she drops the flag start. . ."
His girlfriend smiled alluringly, "Ready. . .set. GO!" the cars tore down the track, the flag just now falling to the ground.
Inuyasha turned the corner, looking in his rearview mirror in satisfaction.
Not a single car.
A flash of black whizzed by, a silver stripe ripping down the side, a red one across the hood.
"Who the hell?" the hanyou growled, speeding faster towards the car until they were head to head. He quickly glanced over at the driver's seat. A woman sat there, a purple belly-dancing scarf covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes looked to be red, but that could be the lights.
They both pushed the pedal at the same moment, speeding down the road with only their taillights visible.
'Who is this woman?'
*
"And the winner is. . ." Duke looked ahead, eyes slits in concentration. "A tie?"
The crowd began to murmur as the two cars came to a stop, both racers exiting their cars and coming towards the man.
Sango rushed through, hoping to catch a glimpse of the racer that'd tied with Inuyasha. As she made her way through the crowd she felt someone slip something into her jacket's pocket. Sango whipped around, "Who-?" A woman in red and black made her way calmly through the crowd, a purple scarf covering half of her face.
"How much did you bet on me?" Inuyasha walked up, counting off his payment.
"Hundred fifty. . ." Sango murmured, pulling a black paper from her pocket.
"What's that?" Inuyasha peered down at the folded note, "Don't just stand there, Sango, open it!"
She nodded, opening it to see a message, causing her heart to get caught in her throat.
* Sango,
Your brother is alive. Meet me at Central Park in one hour for details.
He's not in danger.
~Kagura.*
If it wasn't for Inuyasha grabbing her arm she would be on the ground. Her hands trembled, "Kohaku. . ."
*
"So Kagura tied with me. . ." Inuyasha looked out towards the track. Most of the racers and audience had already left, leaving a few scattered around the area.
"I'm going." Sango slid into Fang, giving a quick wave to Duke.
"Fine then. So am I."
"No you're not."
"What the hell do you mean?" Inuyasha growled, looking away from the road. "Of course I am!"
"Inuyasha. . .thank you. But this is something I need to do alone." the way she said it had so much certainty, confidence. He would have been an ass to ignore.
"I don't like it but fine." Inuyasha tossed her his gun, stopping at the curb near Central Park. "When should I come for you?"
"I have my cell, I'll call you. Thanks, again, for not making this a big deal." Sango smiled, closing Fang's door and leaving down the darkened path. The sound of a common thug falling to the ground music to the hanyou's ears.
*
Sango continued walking down the path, feeling pretty good about herself for ridding the city of yet another mugger. It wasn't until she felt a familiar razor at her throat that her heart skipped a beat.
*
Kagome walked down the hall, jewel in hand. Miroku said he would be coming soon, he had to check something. She paused outside of the oak door, taking deep breath to calm her nerves.
Gods was she nervous!
With a shaky hand she entered the room to find herself surrounded by regal looking members of the agency, their eyes boring into her, looking her over as if to say 'how can a girl like that control the jewel?'
"Hello Sir, other members of the board." Kagome smiled, sitting at the head of the table with the jewel.
"Hello Kagome." Sir stood at the other head of the table, a confidence- building smiling on his face. "They would like to know if you would educate them on the jewel and purifying process before you did what you came to do."
'Nani?!' Kagome just smiled again, nodding, "Fine by me."
"Alright then, proceed." It was only then that she noticed Myouga was there, a twinkle in his eye.
'Finally, another kind face!' "The Shikon no Tama, or Shikon Jewel, actually dates back to the Sengoku Jidai, or the Warring States Era. It is rumored that the Jewel came into being when a miko by the name of Midoriko fought off a horde of demons, all fused by one man. She used the last of her energy to vanquish the demons and died in the process, creating the jewel."
The men and women raised eyebrows at this.
'I guess we know who's skeptic here. . .' "The jewel, while in the hands of Naraku, was fed evil energy, causing it to become evil itself. I came from a line of priestesses, my sister as well. The only thing was my intentions were good, therefore the jewel can be purified only by me. I have been working with it up until know."
"And, tell me, how do you purify this jewel?" an older woman with a prim voice called across the mahogany table.
"All I have to do is hold it, feeding it positive energy." the woman scribbled something down, nodding to Sir.
"Alright Kagome, you may use it now."
"Yes Sir," Kagome nodded, somewhat nervously, before picking up the jewel of the table's cool surface and closing her eyes. 'Tell us the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H.'
The jewel glowed brighter, it's surface becoming warm.
Then.
Nothing.
Kagome opened her eyes, the board members looking at her with confused expressions.
'Maybe it has to be said aloud.' "Tell us the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H." Kagome waited, as well as everyone else. The jewel only glowed, heating but doing nothing else.
'In the form of a wish?' "I wish to know the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H."
Nothing.
Kagome looked closer at the jewel, her abashed look not consoling the other agents.
That's when she saw it.
A small, almost invisible speck of light, the color of the wire in a light bulb, showing through the jewel's pink surface.
"It's a fake."
***
*I know that in the anime the Shikon Jewel gives one wish, but here, since it is AU, I decided a while back it had more than one.
Sugoi, sugoi! I finally got this chapter out! *takes a deep breath* After all those death threats I thought it wise. Anyway, you know me, all first chapters are short, longer as the story goes on.
This story should be a bit shorter than MIM, around 20 chapters. Unless I get wrapped up in the plot and make it 25 ^_~. I know you want the next chapter soon, so please R&R!
Ja ne
~Sakura
Disclaimer: I'm back for the sequel, yet the disclaimer has the same predictable plot. . .
Sakura's Note: Well, glad to see I'm still alive, regardless of the numerous death threats I received after posting the final chapter of MIM. Well, I guess that just shows how much you care, arigatou!
How was everyone's Spring Break? Good?
Yeah, I went to see Dawn of the Dead- a very good movie, by the way. And rented a few I had missed in theaters, nothing else really happened.
Thanks to: Everyone who reviewed and/or read Most Important Mission, it meant a lot to me. ^_^
Enjoy!
***
Chapter 1: Three Months Later. . .
"No, I love you more. . ." Sango giggled, wrapping the phone cord around her finger, "No, I love *you* more. . ."
"Gag."
Sango waved a passive hand at the hanyou, giving him a stern glance. "No, that was Inuyasha. Miroku says hey Inuyasha."
"Hey," Inuyasha drawled, collapsing back onto his partner's bed.
"No, you hang up first. No, you. No. . . you!"
*
"No, Sango, you hang up first," Miroku smirked, winking playfully at the midnight-eyed girl rolling her eyes in the background.
Kagome feigned gagging, "Tell her I'll talk to her tomorrow, I gotta hurl today."
Her partner just laughed, "Kag says she'll talk to you tomorrow. Ok, well, she's getting annoyed. Oh no, there's no girl I'm more scared of than you."
*
Inuyasha flattened his ears on the top of his head, rolling off the bed. "Sango, how much longer("
"Wait! No, you hang up first."
"I have an idea. . ." Inuyasha drawled, "Why don't I hang up *for* you?" He grabbed the phone and put it back on the receiver. "Now can we please go? I gotta get to the race!"
"I gotta call him back, he'll think I hung up on him!"
Inuyasha sighed, waving his hand, "You're pathetic. I was loud on purpose, he knows I did it."
"We have an hour to get there, calm down." Sango smirked, "So unless you wanna hear a very personal conversation I suggest you leave the room. Get ready."
"You're not my mother," Inuyasha growled, walking to the door. "If you don't want me hear all you had to say was the words personal and Miroku in the same sentence."
The hanyou walked down the hall, slipping into his room before Shiori could spot him from Ayame's office.
He grabbed up his boom box from the corner, adjusting the volume from Sango's setting and popping in 3 Doors Down.
~A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies had made me colder
And I don't think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate~
Why had this song been getting to him so much in the past three months? He shook in disgust, practically ripping the hinges off his closet door. "Where-"
"Looking for this?" A leather jacket landed on the hanyou's hatless head, causing his to jump away from his closet in surprise.
"Who the hell?!" Inuyasha grabbed the jacket off, whirling around to stare at the door.
"Yeah, well, I found Shiori cuddling up with it while being briefed by Ayame." Kouga winked, "You're a lucky guy, having such an obsessive stalker."
"Shut up!" Inuyasha growled, "It's not funny."
"And you saying that doesn't help me stop laughing," Kouga smirked, leaning on the doorframe. "So, what's the occasion? Hot date?"
"More like a race," Inuyasha drawled, pulling on a black muscle shirt. "If Sango would just HURRY UP!"
"Shut UP Inuyasha!" Sango growled, slamming her door back closed.
"Well, it's nice to see best friends bond, ain't it?" Kouga looked down at his claws. "When is it?"
The angered half demon raised an eyebrow, tugging on his leather jacket, a silver streak on the back, "Why?"
"Thought it'd be a nice place to take Ayame tonight. Four month anniversary coming up."
"Oh, that's real romantic, Kouga. Take her to the shady district of New York City to see a race? She'll be putty in your hands."
"My Ayame's not into the candlelight dinner deal."
"Lucky you, less money involved."
"Not really, she'll be asking me for money and she'll be placing bets." Kouga blew the hair out of his face, "Oh Kouga-kun, can I have fifty? Thank you! Fifty on Fang."
"Your impressions of me are striking," Ayame spoke in monotone, walking up behind the wolf demon. "I guess I'll have to work a bit harder on mine."
"Is my room the new hang out? If you stay here much longer Shiori's gon-"
"Inu-kun!" The white-haired hanyou gazed up at the agent, an adoring look on her face. "Are you going racing?"
"Yeah."
"Can I come?"
"No."
"Why not?" she pouted.
"Fine, you can come, hopefully you'll get kidnapped. . ."
"Inuyasha!"
"What? Gods, Ayame, can you two go make out somewhere?"
"Nooooo. . . We'd much rather watch this."
"Wow Inu-kun! You have a lot of silk boxers!"
"What-? GIVE ME THOSE!"
"This is entertaining, want to just watch this?" Kouga put an arm around the oni's waist.
"Ok!"
"Hey! A little help here!" Inuyasha lunged for the girl, tripping on his own Timberlands before managing to grab the article.
"Waaah!" Shiori's eyes filled, "I was only playing Inu-kun!"
"With my *underwear*?!"
"What 's going on in here?" Sango popped her head in.
"Shiori came, Shiori stole his boxers and he caught them. Thus leading us to this." Kouga whispered, beaming.
"Oh."
"Sango!"
His partner sighed, "Alright. . ."
"Don't spoil our fun!" Kouga pleaded, sounding like he was back in the fifth grade.
"Shiori, I think Kouga likes you." Sango winked at her, "You know, woman to woman, he says you're really cute."
The girl's eyes widened, "Really?"
"What the hell-Cut it out Shiori!" Kouga rushed down the hall, the half bat demon keeping up with his pace.
"Good one, Sango."
"Thank you."
"I think I'll go help Kouga-kun," Ayame muttered, running down the hall after her fiancé.
"Ready to go?" Sango played with the bangles now around her arms. "I got a bet to place for Miroku."
"Why're you placing bets for Miroku?" Inuyasha grabbed Fang's keys and his leather gloves.
Sango blushed, "Well, actually it's in the name of love. We're placing it together. So you better win!"
"Have you ever known me to lose a race? Now come on, before I miss it and your love pledge is wasted."
*
"When are you going to talk to him?" Miroku nudged the girl, a serious look on his face. "This has gone on long enough, Kagome."
"Who are you talking about?" Kagome blinked away the tears before her friend could see, turning the page of her magazine.
"Don't act dumb with me."
"I don't want to talk about this. I have to have a clear mind for tonight. . ." Kagome flipped the magazine closed, rolling off the bed and out of the room.
She sighed, walking to her closet and pulling out the small chest, a fingerprint analysis lock added to the top. Taking another deeper breath the stormy-eyed girl pressed her finger down on the gel like substance.
Automatically her hands became pink from the jewel's glow, sending a feeling of warmth throughout her veins.
She'd been purifying it for three months now, hoping to make it fully good again in order to use it to find the newest kingpin out there.
Less than a week later after Naraku's hideout had been combed through and all evidence brought forth the frozen accounts that had once belonged to the linchpin were somehow transferred into another account, going by the name S.J.H.
With the Shikon Jewel she would be able to find out. Using only one of it's infinite wishes*.
Sir had said that she should bring it to his office for a conference. Miroku would be there, he knew she wouldn't want to be stuck in there with him and the other higher branches of the agency.
Gods she was nervous!
Rolling the sphere in her hand memories flashed through her head. The good, the funny, the bad, the painful.
~"Y-you speak Japanese?" Kagome suddenly blurted out.
"Well duh! What idiotic agent comes without knowing the language." Sango winked and turned to the laughing Inuyasha. "P.S., we are both from Tokyo."~
~He inched closer to her and knelt down farther. He reached out and forced her eyelids shut and then reopened them again.~
~"Don't interrupt a pissed off hanyou with a bullet wound," Inuyasha warned. "There's no way to see her in this darkness so we need to try and wake her."~
~"Here," Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand which contained the key and, using his keen eyes, inserted it into the hole with ease. Then repeated this action with the other lock.
. . .
"Oh yeah," Inuyasha hastily let go of Kagome's hand and took his place at helping up newly-released agent.~
~Inuyasha smirked, nodding his head upward so his sunglasses fell back over his eyes.
Kagome glanced at the agent and turned to face the left window, "Take those off."
"What?"
"Take those off," Kagome spoke a little softer, refusing to look at him. "They hide your eyes."
"No one will miss them," Inuyasha stated, somewhat disappointed.
"So I'm no one?" Kagome whispered, soft enough she was surprised when she looked over at him from the corner of her eye -
That he was staring at her. "No, you're not."~
~"What lies are you spouting now, Kikyo?" Her older sister smirked, closing the distance between her and Inuyasha in a passionate kiss.
Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock but he didn't pull away.~
~"I'm sorry, Kagome. You know I am. We need to talk about this."
"You have a plane to catch."
"Look, I'll call you. I'd stay if it was just me, but the others have to go too . . ." he sighed, "I don't want to leave it like this."
"Just go."~
~"How are you holding up, Kagome?" Sango's voice was nice to hear, seeing how Miroku had taken up the line for two hours.
"Fine. Why shouldn't I be?"
There was a sigh, followed by a long pause on the other line. "How are you holding up, Kag-chan?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the fact that you seem fine about this and Inuyasha seems to be killing himself over it. That's what I mean, I know what happened and it just doesn't seem like you'd forget-"
"I'm fine, Sango-chan. Don't worry about me. Really."~
Kagome lowered her head in silent shame.
He'd forgotten something when he left, the hoodie she'd found herself sleeping on when she woke up in Fang. No one knew, probably not even he noticed that it had gone missing. She'd found it under the spare bed in Miroku's room while returning a CD.
It smelled like something wild, pine trees and musk. She mis- what was she saying?!
*
"150 on Fang, Duke," Sango handed the man the cash, watching as he recorded it and winked at her. "You sure you want to do that? There's a new racer here tonight, hasn't lost a race."
Her magenta eyes widened, "Who is this racer?"
"No one knows, as soon as the race is over she collects her cash and leaves."
"She?"
"Yeah, goes by Wind Witch, which for her is true." Duke accepted another bet. "So, still betting on your brother?"
The agent stiffened, 'Kohaku. . .' "What d'you mean?"
"Your brother, Inuyasha. You always said when you were little he protected you like one."
"Oh! Yeah, still on him."
Duke looked down at her, eyeing her with concern, "You alright Sango?"
"Yeah, just jogged memories. That's all."
*
"Alright! Start your engines!" A girl by the name of Abi walked up to the middle of the track, Duke right behind her.
"Ok, when my girlfriend flashes you, it's time to start the race!" he was automatically slapped, the audience laughing in unison at the pervert. "Never mind, when she drops the flag start. . ."
His girlfriend smiled alluringly, "Ready. . .set. GO!" the cars tore down the track, the flag just now falling to the ground.
Inuyasha turned the corner, looking in his rearview mirror in satisfaction.
Not a single car.
A flash of black whizzed by, a silver stripe ripping down the side, a red one across the hood.
"Who the hell?" the hanyou growled, speeding faster towards the car until they were head to head. He quickly glanced over at the driver's seat. A woman sat there, a purple belly-dancing scarf covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes looked to be red, but that could be the lights.
They both pushed the pedal at the same moment, speeding down the road with only their taillights visible.
'Who is this woman?'
*
"And the winner is. . ." Duke looked ahead, eyes slits in concentration. "A tie?"
The crowd began to murmur as the two cars came to a stop, both racers exiting their cars and coming towards the man.
Sango rushed through, hoping to catch a glimpse of the racer that'd tied with Inuyasha. As she made her way through the crowd she felt someone slip something into her jacket's pocket. Sango whipped around, "Who-?" A woman in red and black made her way calmly through the crowd, a purple scarf covering half of her face.
"How much did you bet on me?" Inuyasha walked up, counting off his payment.
"Hundred fifty. . ." Sango murmured, pulling a black paper from her pocket.
"What's that?" Inuyasha peered down at the folded note, "Don't just stand there, Sango, open it!"
She nodded, opening it to see a message, causing her heart to get caught in her throat.
* Sango,
Your brother is alive. Meet me at Central Park in one hour for details.
He's not in danger.
~Kagura.*
If it wasn't for Inuyasha grabbing her arm she would be on the ground. Her hands trembled, "Kohaku. . ."
*
"So Kagura tied with me. . ." Inuyasha looked out towards the track. Most of the racers and audience had already left, leaving a few scattered around the area.
"I'm going." Sango slid into Fang, giving a quick wave to Duke.
"Fine then. So am I."
"No you're not."
"What the hell do you mean?" Inuyasha growled, looking away from the road. "Of course I am!"
"Inuyasha. . .thank you. But this is something I need to do alone." the way she said it had so much certainty, confidence. He would have been an ass to ignore.
"I don't like it but fine." Inuyasha tossed her his gun, stopping at the curb near Central Park. "When should I come for you?"
"I have my cell, I'll call you. Thanks, again, for not making this a big deal." Sango smiled, closing Fang's door and leaving down the darkened path. The sound of a common thug falling to the ground music to the hanyou's ears.
*
Sango continued walking down the path, feeling pretty good about herself for ridding the city of yet another mugger. It wasn't until she felt a familiar razor at her throat that her heart skipped a beat.
*
Kagome walked down the hall, jewel in hand. Miroku said he would be coming soon, he had to check something. She paused outside of the oak door, taking deep breath to calm her nerves.
Gods was she nervous!
With a shaky hand she entered the room to find herself surrounded by regal looking members of the agency, their eyes boring into her, looking her over as if to say 'how can a girl like that control the jewel?'
"Hello Sir, other members of the board." Kagome smiled, sitting at the head of the table with the jewel.
"Hello Kagome." Sir stood at the other head of the table, a confidence- building smiling on his face. "They would like to know if you would educate them on the jewel and purifying process before you did what you came to do."
'Nani?!' Kagome just smiled again, nodding, "Fine by me."
"Alright then, proceed." It was only then that she noticed Myouga was there, a twinkle in his eye.
'Finally, another kind face!' "The Shikon no Tama, or Shikon Jewel, actually dates back to the Sengoku Jidai, or the Warring States Era. It is rumored that the Jewel came into being when a miko by the name of Midoriko fought off a horde of demons, all fused by one man. She used the last of her energy to vanquish the demons and died in the process, creating the jewel."
The men and women raised eyebrows at this.
'I guess we know who's skeptic here. . .' "The jewel, while in the hands of Naraku, was fed evil energy, causing it to become evil itself. I came from a line of priestesses, my sister as well. The only thing was my intentions were good, therefore the jewel can be purified only by me. I have been working with it up until know."
"And, tell me, how do you purify this jewel?" an older woman with a prim voice called across the mahogany table.
"All I have to do is hold it, feeding it positive energy." the woman scribbled something down, nodding to Sir.
"Alright Kagome, you may use it now."
"Yes Sir," Kagome nodded, somewhat nervously, before picking up the jewel of the table's cool surface and closing her eyes. 'Tell us the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H.'
The jewel glowed brighter, it's surface becoming warm.
Then.
Nothing.
Kagome opened her eyes, the board members looking at her with confused expressions.
'Maybe it has to be said aloud.' "Tell us the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H." Kagome waited, as well as everyone else. The jewel only glowed, heating but doing nothing else.
'In the form of a wish?' "I wish to know the identity of this new kingpin, and the information on S.J.H."
Nothing.
Kagome looked closer at the jewel, her abashed look not consoling the other agents.
That's when she saw it.
A small, almost invisible speck of light, the color of the wire in a light bulb, showing through the jewel's pink surface.
"It's a fake."
***
*I know that in the anime the Shikon Jewel gives one wish, but here, since it is AU, I decided a while back it had more than one.
Sugoi, sugoi! I finally got this chapter out! *takes a deep breath* After all those death threats I thought it wise. Anyway, you know me, all first chapters are short, longer as the story goes on.
This story should be a bit shorter than MIM, around 20 chapters. Unless I get wrapped up in the plot and make it 25 ^_~. I know you want the next chapter soon, so please R&R!
Ja ne
~Sakura